Spring pad and cover



April 15, 1952 N. SKILLMAN, JR., ET AL 2,593,208

SPRING PAD AND COVER Filed May 19, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET l a 2a minimi-@DE A37 sa 3J 34 Juv.:

April 15, 1952 N. sKlLLMAN, JR., ETAL 2,593,208

SPRING PAD AND COVER Filed May 19, 195o 2 SHEETS- SHEET 2 SEL-:E51 '-7 rf?) *hw/,Lim l bmj- .WTF 5 8 55 IN VEN TORS /vfwro/v s/r/a MAN we.

` ATTORNEYS Pateted'Apr. 15, 1952 scenic PAD AND covers Newton Skillman,Jr., and John E. Connolly, De-

trait, Mich., assigncrs to Neveroil Products Company, Hamburg, Mich., acorporation .of

Michigan Appiication May '19, 1950, Serial Nc.`162,981

(Cl. 267--50l 11 Claims.

This invention relates to a spring pad and cover.

In recent years it has been common in vehicle construction to providecanvas or other fabric, .metal orcomposition covers for leaf springassemblies to retain the lubrication therein and also keep out moistureand dirt, thus insuring a quiet, well-lubricated spring action. As amethod of `reducing cost, there has been a trend toward removal of thespring covers and the insertion of spring pads between the ends of theleaf springs.

`The present invention contemplates acombinan tion spring pad and coverwhich will serve not only to protect the spring against moisture anddirt and any other foreign matter that may cause damage or shorten thelife of the spring but will also serve; as a spring pad, thus combiningthe good features of the spring cover and the spring pad.

Briefly, thisis accomplished by formingl a fab'- ic member with suitableopenings that it might be wrapped around the spring, and portionsthereof may bev insertedthrough spaced slots be tween the ends or thesprings, thus providing the spring pad. In some instances the entirecover may bemade from a lubricant impregnated material. In otherinstances the spring pad may be formed of an insert positioned withinand formed to -a water-prooi cover material.

It is an object of the invention to provide a relatiyely'inexpensiveunit which will serve to exclude dirt from the sliding portions of thespring and have the added advantage or a spring pad properly located andretained and properly lubricated.

Drawings accompany the specication, and the various views thereof may bebriefly described as:

Figure 1, an elevation of a leaf spring assembly showing a combinationspring pad and cover in position.

Figure 2, a bottom view of the assembly shown in Figure l.

Figure- 3, a sectional view on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4, a view of the spring pad and cover prior to assembly.

Figure 5, a View of a modified type of spring pad in which a lubricantimpregnated fabric inn sert is used.

Figure 6, a sectional View similar to that of Figure 3 illustrating theuse of the modification of Figure 5.

Figure 7, an elevation oi a spring assembly illustrating the applicationof a second modified type of spring pad.

Figure 8, a perspective elevation of the spring pad used in Figure 7.

Figure 9, a perspective view of the assembly shown in Figure lillustrating the .relative location of the parts.

Figure 10, a sectional view on line: itl-t0 of Figure 9.

In the disclosure and claims the term leaf spring assembly shall beapplied to a plurality of leaf springs stacked vertically; that is,superimposed one on the other and having progressively decreasinglengths.

Referring to the drawings, the unit shownV in Figures 1 to 6 isprimarily a sheet of canvas duck 20, the center portion of which isprovided with spaced slits 22 extending transversely of the material andhaving the width of a spring leaf. These slits 22 are spaced from eachother at regnlar intervals which correspond to the spacing of the endsof the spring leavesln a vspring assembly 2B as shown in Figurel.

On either side of the central portion of; the strip 26 are side flaps 30and 32 which increase in width progressively from the small outer end tothe large inner end. In applying the unit to the spring the ends of thespring leaves,respec tively shown Sil to 3l, are passed through theslits 22 and at the sides of the unit are drawn up and around the springleaf assembly and stapled together at 4t.

Inv some cases the entire strip is impregnated with a lubricant such asthat disclosed in Delp Patent No. 2,379,478, and at any rate thematerial which is to be confined between the spring sections isimpregnated with this compound or a similar compound. l

It is desirable also to coat the outer surface of the combination springinterleaf unit and spring cover with rubberized compound to render thesame Water-proof and to extend its life against the weathering elementsto which it will be subjected.

In Figures 5 and 6 a unit similar to that shown in Figures l to 4 isillustrated except that an additional friction member or strip 651 isapplied to the central portion of the spring interleaf unit. This member45 may be also an impregnated fabric and may be bonded or attached tothe central portion of the strip ZIJ by some suitable means such as athermo-setting adhesive known as Scotchweld, sold by the MinnesotaMining Company. This material is sold both in sheet form and in' liquidform. The unit shown in Figure 5 is shown also in assembly in Figure lin a view similar to that shown in Figure 3.

In Figure '7 a modied type of spring .cover and interleaf unit is shown.The spring assembly is shown in Figure 7 at 50 and in Figure 8 thecombination unit is shown, which consists of a strip of fabric 52 suchas cotton duck which has sides 54 and 56 folded back upon the materialto form a center seam 58. In the folds of the material, at the edge, asshown in Figure 8, a strip of wire 60 is shown to provide a welt edgeBE. This wire 60 may also be a cotton cord or paper cord or othersimilar elongate filler. Also the strip may be woven in this shape ifdesired with preformed edge welts. The overlapping layers of the fabricare joined together by a thermo-setting adhesive or suitable bondingmedium as above described.

As shown in Figure 8 the composite strip is then provided withthree-sided cuts 62 which actually form tongues 64 in the materialspaced at suitable intervals and lying between the welt edges.

This unit is assembled as shown in Figures 9 and 10 so that the weltedges 6l lie along the openings between the contacting surfaces of thespring assembly. As shown in Figure 10 a section of spring is used withangled sid-es and the welted edges 6| lie closely into the groovesformed by this section between the springs. other spring section issatisfactory.

The ends of the respective spring leaves project through the openingsformed by the cuts 62, and the strip is thus confined Iat respectiveportions between the slits in the spring leaf assembly. The tongue-likeprojections of the unit permit the welt edges Si to follow the contourof the spring as shown at 6G, that is, they form jogs in the welt` sothat it m-ay progress downwardly from leaf to leaf without a sharpstrain on the welted edge.

This unit also is impregnated throughout with a lubricant and provides,therefore, a friction control as well as side seal for the spring unit.It will be possible to apply a single strip of the material to a singlespring assembly so that the two ends of the materialare provided withthe openings to receive the respective ends of the spring interleaf.This will hold the unit against endwise displacement and provide an easyassembly unit.

However, the single end unit is desirable since it is cheaper and moreeasily installed. The shorter springs will clamp the unit againstendwise displacement since between the shorter springs there is verylittle displacement movement.

Itwill thus be seen that there is provided a spring interleaf unit whichis self-retaining due to the spring construction and one whichsimultaneously serves as a spring protector.

What We claim is:

l. Means for producing a more constant coefficient of friction betweenthe contacting ends of leaf springs and for reducing noise andprotecting the frictional surfaces of such springs used in a leaf springassembly which comprises a strip of flexible material characterized byan ability to absorb and retain lubricating material, said stripprovided with transverse slits at intervals along its length spaced toreceive the ends of the respective leaves of the assembly, and means atthe side of the strip to position it against lateral displacement, alubricant impregnated into said strip, said strip between the slitsbeing interposed between the leaves to provide a spacer.

2. A spring interleaf strip as defined in claim 1 in which the means atthe side comprises side flap extensions of the slit strip drawn up andaround the spring assembly and fastened together.

However, any

3. A spring interleaf strip as defined in claim 1 in which the means atthe side comprises a reinforcing elongate member covered and retained bythe strip.

4. A spring interleaf strip as defined in claim l to control frictionand noise between the leaves of a leaf spring assembly in which the sideflaps on either side of said slits increase progressively in width fromone end to be drawn up and around the spring assembly and fastenedtogether.

5. A spring interleaf strip as defined in claim 1 to control frictionand noise between the leaves of a leaf spring assembly in which thestrip between the slits comprises a double thickness of woven lubricantimpregnated fabric bonded toether with a suitable adhesive.

6. A spring interleaf strip as defined in claim 5 in which the means atthe side comprises a reinforcing elongate member covered and retained'oy the strip.

7. A spring interleaf as defined in claim 1 in which means at the sidecomprises side iiap extensions drawn up and around the spring assemblyand fastened together, and a coating of water-proofing material on saidflaps.

8. A spring interleaf strip to control friction and noise between theleaves of a leaf spring assembly which comprises a strip of woven fabrichaving-each sidedoubled back to join at the center of the strip,elongate means confined at the folded edges of the doubled strip, asuitable adhesive joining the layers of fabric, said strip within thefolded edges being slit transversely at spaced intervals to receive therespective ends of a leaf spring assembly whereby a portion of the stripis confined between each spring end and an adjacent leaf.

9. A spring interleaf strip to control friction Y vand noise between the'leaves of a leaf spring'as'- sembly which comprises a strip of wovenfabric impregnated with a lubricant shaped at the sides to close thejoints between spring leaves and means projecting toward one end of saidstrip centrally thereof and spaced longitudinally to be confined betweenthe ends of spring leaves and the respective adjacent leaves to serve asinter? leaf pads, said means being impregnated with a lubricant.

NEWTON sKILLMAN, JR. JoHNn. CoNNoLLY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Y Date 1,373,527 Priestley Apr. 5,1921 1,808,259 Schemmel l June 2,V 1931 2,338,480 Auxier Jan. 4, 19442,377,216 Duckoff May 29, 1945

